Château de Sévérac

Sévérac-d'Aveyron, France

The Château de Sévérac is a 13th century castle which was restored in the 18th century. The castle site has belonged to several families: the Sévéracs, Armagnacs, and Arpajons. The latter built a Renaissance style castle whose south face can still be seen.

Visitors today can see ramparts, walls, watch towers, the chapel and kitchen, in which demonstrations of medieval cooking are given. An exhibition of medieval costumes can be seen in the chapel and recitals of troubadour music and demonstrations of their instruments are held.

The Château de Sévérac is one of a group of 23 castles in Aveyron which have grouped together to provide a tourist itinerary as La Route des Seigneurs du Rouergue.

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Address

Rue du Duc d'Arpajon 7B, Sévérac-d'Aveyron, France
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Details

Founded: 13th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in France
Historical period: Late Capetians (France)

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.3/5 (based on Google user reviews)

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User Reviews

Roelf (12 months ago)
Forced to overnight in the local town while waiting for spare parts for our camper, we decided to take a bike ride up to the local castle. Hard work but very much worth it. A fort surrounded by a picturesque village. just one thing to bear in mind... as i recall there was only only one watering hole at the top. Yes worth a visit.
Paul Ellis (2 years ago)
Lovely chateau, free to get in. Lot's of renovations happening. Great views.
Lynn Shaw (2 years ago)
Still being renovated. Views amazing. More just a building than a chateau.
UCEPH Rock n Travel (2 years ago)
Lovely village. Very medieval. A walk in the village towards the castle makes you feel like you might bump into the duc de severac waving his cane around while some lady in a long dress smiles at every passer by. The castle looks more like a prison or a convent. Yet the view from up there is breathtaking.
Brian Kennan (2 years ago)
As French castles go, this is far from spectacular. The restoration has barely begun. It's a shell. Having said that, lovely views and worth the climb.
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The Palazzo Colonna is a palatial block of buildings built in part over ruins of an old Roman Serapeum, and has belonged to the prestigious Colonna family for over twenty generations.

The first part of the palace dates from the 13th century, and tradition holds that the building hosted Dante in his visit to Rome. The first documentary mention notes that the property hosted Cardinal Giovanni and Giacomo Colonna in the 13th century. It was also home to Cardinal Oddone Colonna before he ascended to the papacy as Martin V (1417–1431).

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Starting with Filippo Colonna (1578–1639) many changes have refurbished and create a unitary complex around a central garden. Architects including Girolamo Rainaldi and Paolo Marucelli labored on specific projects. Only in the 17th and 18th centuries were the main facades completed. Much of this design was completed by Antonio del Grande (including the grand gallery), and Girolamo Fontana (decoration of gallery). In the 18th century, the long low facade designed by Nicola Michetti with later additions by Paolo Posi with taller corner blocks (facing Piazza Apostoli) was constructed recalls earlier structures resembling a fortification.

The main gallery (completed 1703) and the masterful Colonna art collection was acquired after 1650 by both the cardinal Girolamo I Colonna and his nephew the Connestabile Lorenzo Onofrio Colonna and includes works by Lorenzo Monaco, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Palma the Elder, Salviati, Bronzino, Tintoretto, Pietro da Cortona, Annibale Carracci (painting of The Beaneater), Guercino, Francesco Albani, Muziano and Guido Reni. Ceiling frescoes by Filippo Gherardi, Giovanni Coli, Sebastiano Ricci, and Giuseppe Bartolomeo Chiari celebrate the role of Marcantonio II Colonna in the battle of Lepanto (1571). The gallery is open to the public on Saturday mornings.

The older wing of the complex known as the Princess Isabelle"s apartments, but once housing Martin V"s library and palace, contains frescoes by Pinturicchio, Antonio Tempesta, Crescenzio Onofri, Giacinto Gimignani, and Carlo Cesi. It contains a collection of landscapes and genre scenes by painters like Gaspard Dughet, Caspar Van Wittel (Vanvitelli), and Jan Brueghel the Elder.

Along with the possessions of the Doria-Pamphilij and Pallavacini-Rospigliosi families, this is one of the largest private art collections in Rome.

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